


Moving Onward

by pajama_cats



Series: Diamond in The Rough [30]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions
Genre: Adventure, Comfort, Drama, Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 11:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30088653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pajama_cats/pseuds/pajama_cats
Summary: Wes and Steven prepare for their journey to Route 121.
Relationships: Leo | Wes/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Series: Diamond in The Rough [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837282
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This part is going to have two chapters, one for Wes's POV and the other in Steven's! Huge thanks to ben4kevin for all their work and giving me these great summaries to work with! Thanks for reading!

If there’s one thing Wes knows by heart now about Steven it’s that he was highly persistent when it came to buying well,  _ anything.  _   
  
They went back and forth when it came to who would buy the supplies, yet in the end it was Steven who once again reigned supreme in that area; always insisting he buy everything for them despite Wes not minding to put his fair share of payment in. With Steven around he’s barely had to pay for anything and the only way he could repay him back was with stones he found along the way.    
  
Well.. Better than nothing. Still, he wished Steven would let him buy the supplies after taking care of him when he was ill and paying for all of his meals.    
  
With his bags all packed and Pokemon healed and ready to go, Wes made his way out of the Pokemon Center, sparing a glance at the Pokemart, hesitating on whether he should wait or not. Steven was aware of where they were going, but it’s not like he’d go onto Route 121 without him. It’s like how he was with Rui back in Orre, always traveling together and looking out for the other despite Rui not having her own Pokemon back when he met her. It’s nice to see how far she’s gone from their days in Orre.    
  
“Wes!”    
  
_ Speaking of..  _ _   
_ _   
_ Two orange pigtails come into view around the Pokemon Center, Rui hunching over to rest her hands on her knees looking exhausted as if she had hurried over to him. He was unaware if she knew about the situation, but knowing Steven he probably filled her and Winona in on Team Aqua and Magma’s whereabouts. It’s not like he would have left without saying goodbye to an old friend.   
  
“You look like you just ran a mile,” Wes huffs out a laugh at the pout Rui gives him, lightly hitting his elbow with the roll of her eyes. It’s all in good fun, always has been and always will, especially since he can spot the small smile on her face. “What’s the hurry?”    
  
“I came to see you off of course!” Rui smiles brightly, though there’s something about it that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. He doesn’t question it, instead sporting a smile of his own and gestures for Rui to follow, something that tended to be the usual when they were together. “You’re always rushing off without a second thought, I figured if I didn’t hurry I would have missed you.”   
  
“I’m not  _ that  _ impatient as to run off without saying goodbye,” Wes points out, more focused on maneuvering through Fortree City and missing the slight pause in Rui’s steps. The trees seemed to never end, stretching all across the city until the small path to Route 120 could finally be seen. “This should be a good place to wait for.. Rui?”    
  
His thoughts of waiting on Steven come to halt when he notices Rui shaking from beside him, tears slowly rolling down her face that she quickly wipes away with the sleeve of her jacket. His heart breaks at the scene, always used to Rui’s upbeat, stubborn personality and hardly ever witnessed her crying before. On rare occasions back in Orre late at night he could hear her, though she’d always shrug it off, not wanting to alarm him.    
  
“Why is it that you  _ always  _ have to deal with evil teams? First Cipher and now Magma and Aqua,” Rui’s voice is shaky, more tears threatening to fall that she fails to wipe away. “I feel so bad for having to leave this to you, I wish I could be more helpful, but I..”    
  
Wes decides that’s all he wants to hear, not wanting Rui to spiral downwards into doubt about her own strength, instead pulling her into an embrace; arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders. He feels her freeze under his touch before she reciprocates the hug, almost as tightly as he’s holding onto her.    
  
“What are you talking about? You’re doing all you can by protecting Fortree City,” Wes pulls back with Rui’s arms now resting on his forearms. His hands gently rest on either of her face, bringing his gloved fingers up to wipe away the remaining tears that roll down her face, for once giving her a rare fond smile. “I’m so proud of you, hell I’m  _ impressed  _ at your progress as a trainer. You’ve come a long way from our days back in Orre, since that day I saved you, and I  _ know  _ you’ll be able to hold up on your own.”   
  
This time it’s Rui that pulls him into a hug; head resting against his shoulder making Wes hesitate, slowly wrapping his arms around her with closed eyes and a smile that never wavered. They take a moment, letting the morning breeze brush against them, taking solace just by being in the arms of each other from the last time they saw each other off.    
  
Rui slowly pulls away, Wes lightly holding onto her hand, giving it a squeeze before letting go as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and slightly kicks at the grass under her shoe. In an unusually shy manner, she speaks up without meeting his eyes. “Hey, do you happen to have a Pokenav?”   
  
Wes perks up at the mention of the Pokenav, sorting through his bag for the device. Honestly he tended to forget about it, not really having called anyone since he got it, but with Steven’s number in it he at least had a way of still keeping in touch in case they had to depart. He watches Rui take hers out, eagerly typing her number into his Pokenav, but pauses when they hear footsteps from behind them.    
  
Met with the curious looks of Winona and Steven, Wes takes back his Pokenav and with a growing smile, he adjusts his bag ready to embark on their way to Route 121. With Steven traveling and battling beside him they’d stop Team Aqua and Magma in no time.    
  
_ We’ll save Hoenn, Rui. Just you wait. _


	2. Chapter 2

_“Steven seriously, I can pay for everything—”_   
  
_“Surely it wouldn’t be any trouble for me to cover the costs for supplies now, would it? I’m more than happy to pay for our expenses.”_ _  
_ _  
_ The conversation went back and forth between them in the Pokemart until Wes begrudgingly agreed to let him pay for their supplies. He by no means was going to let Wes waste any of his hard earned money when he himself was more than well off when it came to money. The only compromise he got out of Wes was asking him if he could go pack their bags, watching him sigh loudly with a pout but left to go do so anyways with a quiet ‘ _thank you.’_   
  
A cute little scene, knowing Wes got taken off guard anytime he offered to pay for anything, the Orre trainer automatically getting flustered as if he hadn’t quite wrapped his head around the small act of kindness. _He better get used to it._ _  
_ _  
_ With a bag full of super potions, hyper potions, awakenings, full heals, revives that Wes had picked out Steven was well on his way. Not without grabbing a stack of bentos for them to eat on, not knowing how long it would take to get to the next city over. Plus, knowing Wes’s appetite he wanted to make sure they had plenty to go by, not wanting him to go without. With the addition of bags full of Pokefood and berries he stepped out of the Pokemart with his head held high, eagerly wanting to get back to Wes.   
  
..Who had yet to leave the Center apparently?   
  
“There you are, word of the citizens is that they saw the champion enter here not too long ago,” Winona greets him from the side of the mart, immediately catching Steven’s attention. There’s an elegance to her movements, always walking as if the wind was guiding her, but considering her history with the city and her flying types he could understand why she would love it so much. Like his fixation with steel Pokemon, they all had their history with particular types. “Rui and Wes are meeting us on the outskirts of Fortree City. Shall we?”   
  
Well.. This was quite different from every other city he’s been too. Usually the gym leaders were busy with their own business, calling him on his Pokenav whenever they needed him or challenging him at the Pokemon League when they were itching for a battle. It shouldn’t be too surprising that a free spirit like Winona would want to see him off, especially when Rui has been friends with Wes since they’ve been in Orre.   
  
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Steven says softly, smiling gently as he begins to walk with the gym leader, letting her guide him through the maze of trees. “We shouldn’t keep the others waiting too long then.”   
  
As lovely as its been spending time with Wes in Fortree City, awaiting for him to recover, he found it nice just for it to be the two of them, away from the troubles currently happening around Hoenn. It was a hassle to think about, a sigh having to be suppressed that he couldn’t enjoy more time with Wes and knew his duties as a champion came first. Maybe when Team Aqua and Magma were out of the way he could have more nice moments to enjoy with him, not quite wanting their adventure together to end yet.   
  
“You’ve been very busy lately it seems, but I must admit I’m impressed you’ve been able to handle so much,” Winona snaps him from his thoughts, lavender eyes resting on him with a hint of worry. “I do hope you’ll be careful. I’ve heard.. Rumors about those causing havoc in Hoenn.”   
  
“They may be a bunch of nuisances, but as of now they have yet to have any of their plans be successful,” As far as he knew anyways. The police tended to update him when he couldn’t be where they’re at, yet he’s heard rumors himself about how, ‘a man with an Espeon and Umbreon’ has been tackling the Magma and Aqua situations. “I have Wes to thank for helping me keep them at bay. There’s a number of times where he’s battled them without fail.”   
  
“It’s nice that the winds of fate could guide you two together,” Winona pipes up joyfully, her hands are placed behind her back as she turns to him, a glint in her eyes for reasons unknown to Steven. “Speaking of.. He’s quite the trainer, isn’t he? Anyone would be lucky to have him,” There’s a slight pause before she turns back away from him, her voice lowering as she continues. “Especially a certain rock fanatic.”   
  
Steven feels his face warm, ducking his head and glancing off to the side losing his composure for just a moment. Was he really _that_ obvious? Maybe to those around him, but fortunately Wes didn’t seem to catch a hint, which really is all that mattered for the most part. 

“Rui told me all sorts of stories about him back in Orre, how he saved so many corrupted Pokemon and people,” Winona hums, the feeling that she left out a few vital details made Steven curious, wanting to pry further. Though.. At the same time there’s some things he’d rather learn on his own. To hear such personal information from Wes himself is all he needed. “There’s something about him.. He’s someone who can fly with splendor, I believe he’s special.”   
  
_You have no idea._ _  
_ _  
_ An astonishing trainer, a strong and good heart who had both inner and outer beauty, everything about Wes was remarkable to him. That could be his capitivation on him speaking, but he’s sure there are plenty of others who could agree with him on that.   
  
Their small stroll through Fortree City comes to an end with the beginning path of Route 120 taking root. His eyes light up at the sight of Wes, early morning rays hitting against him; a sight to him that could only be described as a brilliant radiance.   
  
Steven’s smile wavers at something amiss in the sight, noting Rui has red eyes and tear stained cheeks. Why had she been crying? He knows Wes well enough to assume he’d never say anything insensitive to her.. Perhaps she brought up the uneasy topic of Cipher again?   
  
Steven’s worries are brushed away the moment Wes turns to him, smile so soft and assuring it makes his heart do a small flip, nearly missing the quiet giggle he hears from Winona beside him. _Arceus, he’s stunning._ “Everything’s good, we were just saying our goodbyes.”   
  
Steven doesn’t have time to relax, barely processing that Rui is right by Winona’s side the moment she spots her. Instead he only focuses on the fact that Wes is suddenly in his personal space, head ducked down an arm reaching out to his hand. He feels a bit flustered, wanting nothing more than to lace their fingers together—   
  
Until he realizes Wes is just wanting to help carry the bags he got from the Pokemart. _Of course.._ Still, his hold on them tightens, being futile as Wes manages to grab a few bags that manage to slip through his fingers and puts them into his own bag. If he didn’t know any better he’d say Wes looked _pleased_ at the fact that he caught him off guard enough to take off the load he carried.   
  
Well, it’s not like he could ever be upset at him in general, especially over something so little.   
  
“Before you soar off may I have your Pokenav number?” Winona pipes up to Wes, barely any response given to her other than him taking out his Pokenav to share with. The scene has Steven furrowing his brows, unsure _why_ Winona would want to keep in contact with him. Maybe it’s because Rui was so close to him, or the interest she took in him as a trainer, he still felt slightly jealous, not really keen on all the attention Wes seemed to attract despite not wanting it. Something he could relate to, yet he felt as if he wanted to keep Wes to himself.   
  
“I wish you a safe trip on your way to stop Team Aqua and Magma,” Winona politely bows, her hand entwined with Rui’s and looked as if she were impossibly close to her. The domesticity of it all was something Steven yearned for, hoping one day he and Wes could be as close as they were. “May you two have fortune on your journey.”   
  
“You better come back to Fortree City when this is all over with, you hear?” Rui places a hand on her hip, tone cheerful despite the tears she just shed. _At least it’s a peaceful goodbye._ “It’d be nice for you to relax properly so we catch up under better circumstances.” 

“I’d love to,” Wes gives a slight smile, his attention directed at Steven as he adjusts his bag over his shoulder and nudges his head sideways. The small action is overall cute to Steven, who returns the smile and catches up to Wes’s side. “Ready?”

“All set,” Steven adjusts his ascot, waving back to the duo and walking along the path of Route 120, his demeanor more relaxed than the determined expression resting on Wes. A hand places on Wes’s shoulder in reassurance, face softening as Wes turns to him. “We’ll bring peace back to Hoenn in no time.”

_With you by my side, how could we not?_


End file.
